1. Oh that’s what it feels like
Archer
Everyone in my life was mated and in love.
I was happy for them, of course. But it was bittersweet to be around all of their happiness. For years, I’d been convinced fate picked who got to be happy and had purposefully forgotten about me.
Maybe that was the wrong way to look at it. Even so, it was hard not to. My parents were happy. My sister had her two mates, and they were happy. My friends and the rest of my extended family had their mates too. Everyone had their happy endings.
But then there was me.
“What the fuck am I doing?” I whispered to myself.
Rain had been pouring nonstop for three days. I stepped around a puddle on the sidewalk, my stomach twisting as I neared the cafe at the end of the block. The sky brooded with dark clouds, yet I had a tiny sense of hope I couldn’t quite squash.
Was it finally my turn? The little voice wouldn’t stop whispering in my head. Was it finally going to be my chance for what I’d been craving my entire life?
Was this my second chance?
After what happened years ago, I’d been certain I was not deserving of a mate. To even hope this ended up being more than just a coffee date felt like getting ahead of myself. But I knew the Barista, and I knew monsters he’d matched.
A nervous breath left me as I reached for the cafe door. Before I could touch it, it flew open, and I squeaked as Layla ran right into me. Both of us yelped, but I grabbed her shoulders, steadying her before she fell back.
“Oh gods, I’m so sorry, Archer,” she said. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
“No worries at all,” I said. I frowned once I got a closer look at her.
I knew what had happened with her bond and the Barista severing it with his scythe.
Almost everyone did. It was the downside of all of our parents being friends for so long before they had kids. They were a bunch of gossipmongers.
Everyone knew what happened to Layla, just like they knew what happened to me.
I’d grown up with Layla. She was like my cousin. But as much as I wanted to ask her if she was really okay, I decided to keep it casual. It was all I wanted back when I was the topic of conversation.
“How have you been?” I asked. “I haven’t been to the other cafe location in a while so I never get to see you. I should stop by more often, but then Inferna harasses me to bring coffee for the entire office.”
Layla laughed, her shoulders relaxing a fraction. “I’m doing okay. It’s been . . . well, I don’t even know where to start. Are you here for coffee?”
Nerves fluttered through me. I swallowed hard. “I’m actually here for a date.”
Layla’s eyes widened. “You are?” Her gaze dropped to my chest and then she turned, looking into the cafe. “Oh. Oh.” She let out a low chuckle. “You’re in for a treat, Archer.”
A little bit of giddiness made my heart skip a beat. “Yeah? Are they here already?”
Layla grinned and her cheeks turned bright pink. “Yeah. I’m excited for you now. Tell me how it goes, okay? I’m going to head out, I don’t really talk to my Papa right now.”
I winced. “Fair enough. I’ll text you?”
“Yes, please do. I want to hear everything. Good luck, Archer. You deserve everything good in the world.”
I gave her a sad smile. “So do you.”
Tears sprang to her eyes. “I don’t know about that anymore.”
“Layla,” I said softly. “It’ll be okay. Bonds can come back, can’t they?”
“I’m not really sure. I feel empty inside.” She cleared her throat. “Enough about my problems. You have a coffee date, and it’s going to be amazing. If anything happens and you need help, just text me. I’ll be there.”
“Alright.” I gave her a quick hug and then opened the cafe door. “I’ve got this. I think.”
Layla grinned through her tears. “You do. See you!”
I watched her take off, and shook my head. I really hoped for the best for her.
Stealing myself, I stepped into Creature Cafe.
The scent of coffee greeted me and as always, it felt like coming home.
I’d practically grown up in this place. So many of my childhood memories circled around this cafe and the extended family who surrounded it.
Inferna and I used to play hide and seek around the benches and tables whenever our fathers wanted to hang out with the Barista, Trixie, and Lucy.
Creature Cafe represented so much about the monster world that I loved.
I spotted the Barista and his eyes crinkled with a smile when he saw me. I stopped right in front of the counter, and he already had two coffees ready. Small comforts, but he’d made the infernal latte I’d been drinking since I was sixteen for me.
“I’m so glad you came, Archer,” he chimed. Maybe I was slightly spoiled, because the Barista wasn’t quite so gruff with me as he was with others. “I wasn’t sure you would.”
Until this morning, I hadn't been sure either. “Well, it is a match by you . . . so I’m curious. Even if it doesn’t work out.”
The corner of his mouth tugged, but he simply grunted. “Your date is in the booth in the back. You won’t miss her. If you need anything, just let me know.” Now, he smiled. “I’m excited for you.”
“Thank you. I’ll try not to fuck it up.”
“You’ll do great.”
I blushed as I took the two coffees and carried them toward the back of the cafe. A million thoughts rolled through my mind. Had the Barista told my dads about this date? Did my sister know? Was I going to get barraged with a thousand texts from them or had the Barista kept it a secret?
Truthfully, I hoped he’d kept it a secret because I just wanted to have this experience for myself at first. Whatever happened, good or bad.
My gaze swept to the sleek golden feathers with flecks of tawny brown that stuck out of the side of the booth. With each step closer to my date, the tension grew, until I caught her scent. I froze in place.
I wasn’t like my sister—I didn’t look like a demon. I took after my human father. But I was still part demon, and my sense of smell was especially strong.
And her scent . . .
My mouth watered and I closed my eyes, my cheeks immediately flushing. I hadn’t even seen her yet, but my cock was already hardening on instinct. Fuck. I thought everyone had been exaggerating when they told me about the moment they met their mate. But this was overwhelming.
All conversations were drowned out by the pounding over my heart. Wood creaked underfoot as I felt her presence grow stronger, but I couldn’t open my eyes.
The edge of a claw slid under my chin and tipped my head up. Finally, I looked at her, and I could barely breathe.
She was the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen in my entire life.
Shock rattled me as I stared into burnished honey eyes.
A tail slid around my waist and gods, I couldn’t keep my attention from immediately dropping to the swell of her breasts.
I tried to focus on anything else about her, but it was difficult.
Mostly because she only wore a sheer bikini.
Every thought short-circuited.
Her fine fur was the color of sand dunes beneath a sunset. Rich brown hair fell in a curtain past her collarbones. Dark liner smudged her eyelids.
She was a sphinx, I realized. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen a sphinx before. I would have remembered.
“I’ve never seen someone as beautiful as you,” I whispered reverently.
A soft chuckle left her and her tail brushed over the front of my jeans, the tip teasing the hardening bulge there. I sucked in a breath, but I didn’t even glance around us. People could stare. I didn’t care.
“I want you to kneel on the floor right now and offer me my cup of coffee.”
Fuck. My knees weakened. Every movement I made was willing and eager. I put my cup of coffee on the table to my right, and then slowly knelt down in front of her. I held the warm mug between my palms, holding it up like an offering to a goddess.
Her diamond pupils expanded. She waited a moment, simply staring down at me.
Did she want me to kneel forever? Because I would.
Finally, she smiled. “Yes, I think you’ll do. Leave the coffee. I’m taking you with me.”
All logic flew out the fucking window. She could tell me to lay on the floor so she could step on me, and I would do it without hesitation. Whatever she wanted, I needed her to have.
Heat crept up my spine, my muscles coiling with desire. Was it lust? I wasn’t sure. I’d never felt like this before. This unreasonable, complete disregard for reason. All I knew was that I wanted her, and if that meant I got bossed around, I didn’t care.
The tips of her claws pushed through my hair, scraping across my scalp. A shiver worked up my spine, and I shuddered with anticipation. “Put the coffee down.”
Her command rippled through me. Her voice was rich, deep, and sexy. “Yes—yes, ma’am,” I stammered. I got to my feet and put her mug next to mine.
My heart and cock pulsed to the same beat. I didn’t know her name yet, but I didn’t care. My sphinx date swept me up into her arms and carried me out of the cafe like a bride. She was so tall. Her shoulders had to be twice as broad as mine.
Her wings spread behind her, gleaming under the slanted ray of light that broke through the dark bank of clouds.
I had no idea where she was taking me, but this was really happening. The cafe stood behind us, the neon sign blinking in the window. Through the glass, I could see the Barista watching us. But even he didn’t seem to be worried, and if he was, he would have intervened.
Her muscles coiled as if she were about to take off.
“Wait,” I said. A bubble of nerves burst in my chest. “Wait, I don’t even know your name.”
“Eleni.” She smirked. Her grip on me tightened. “Or Leni. But don’t worry. You’ll be calling me Mistress most of the time.”
Okay. My eyes widened as Leni took off into the air. I squeaked, winding my arms around her neck and finding my face between her tits. Oh gods. Fuck. I started to draw back, but she pushed my head down, holding my face there.
Gods, her scent. My mouth watered enough I was certain I might drool onto her perfect tits. Was she really my mate? Was she really who I’d been matched with?
Was this what it felt like?